Cardinals S Budda Baker wins Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker was named the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award winner for the 2025 season at NFL Honors on Thursday.

Baker is the second Cardinals player to win the award since its inception in 2014, when wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald — a Hall of Fame inductee on Thursday — won it. Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell won in 2022 while playing for the Baltimore Ravens.

The Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award highlights players for “on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents and integrity in competition.” It is named after late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney.

Every team nominated one player for the award, and a panel of former players selected eight finalists. NFL players then voted for the winner.

The winning player receives a $25,000 donation from the league’s foundation to a charity of his choosing.

Baker has been Arizona’s nominee six times and finally earned the league-wide honor.

The 30-year-old just wrapped up his ninth NFL season, building a reputation as a leader who plays with fiery competitiveness. He played 98% of defensive snaps in 16 games, even on a struggling team out of playoff contention during the second half of the season.

Baker made his eighth Pro Bowl in 2025, representing the Cardinals along with tight end Trey McBride.

The seven other finalists for this year’s award were:

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